Means for corrugating metal sheets



Mw E@ E. MAYEEQ MEANS FOR CORRUGATING METAL SHEETS Filedan. `es, 1948 2 Sheets-sneer, l

Miay 3m E953@ E. MAYEE MEANS EOE COERUEATENG METAL SHEETS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 6, 1948 INVENTOR.

EUGENE MAYER AENT Patented May 30, 1950 UNITED STATES TENT QFFICE Application January 6, 1948, Serial No. 677 In France March 27, 1940 According to a conventional method., the corrugations are formed in a sheet, one after another, by means of a stamp in the form of a blade, adapted to form one corrugation only, and co-operating with a corrugated die-bed. With this method it is necessary to move the sheet across the die-bed in a stepwise fashion in order to provide corrugations across the whole sheet, as only one corrugation can be obtained at a time with the aforo-described tools. This is a tedious and therefore not very satisfactory method. It has also been proposed to provide a corrugating machine of the type described with independently movable holding blocks for retaining the corrugated parts of a sheet in position on the die-bed.

Another form of a corrugating machine cornprised a corrugated die-bed and a series of separate, independently movable and spring-controlled blades co-operating with the die-bed, for forming the corrugations. In this machine, however, the sheet was not positively gripped across its entire width, but only at individual points, so that an even and correct formation of the corrugations was not ensured. Furthermore, the blades were not easily interchangeable, so that the machine could only be employed for making one type and size of corrugations, and, lastly, in View of the great number of individually operated blades, adjustment of the machine was complicated and maintenance diilicult.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a machine suitable for carrying out the improved method.

According tc the invention, the formation of corrugations progresses in steps from the centre of the sheets towards their ends, the sheets being acted upon from both sides by sectional dies, the die sections having continuous proles and being successively brought into action on the sheets during one operation. In this manner, a plurality of corrugations is formed in each step and the sheets are gripped positively at either side during the whole operation. The method according to the invention is applicable t sheets both of low and of high tensile strength.

The invention consists of a machine for making corrugated metal sheets, comprising sectional upper and lower dies, the die sections havingl 3 Claims. (Cl. 153-76) lil steps with dies having one movable centre section only.

The centre sections of the dies are normally projected' beyond the end sections by elastic means, such as springs or fluid-operated pistons, so that the centre sections will automatically recede to the level of the end sections when the latter are broughtinto enga-gement with a sheet.

In the accompanying drawings, the method according to the invention and two embodiments of a machine for carrying out the same are illustrated.

In the drawings:

Figs. 1 to 5 show the various steps of one corrugating operation.

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a machine according to the invention.

Fig. 'l is a detail of this machine.

Fig. 8 is another form of corrugating machine according to the invention.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of a machine according to Fig. 6.

As will be seen from Figs. 1 to 5, the upper die consists of a central section Il! and end sections il; the end sections I I are secured to the upper platen I2, whereas the centre section IIl is adapted, by means to be described later, to slide relatively to the platen I 2. The lower die comprises a centre section I3 and two end sections I4 which are secured to the lower platen I5, whilst the centre section I3 is adapted to slide relatively to the platen I5. It will be seen that the lower centre section I3 is of considerably greater width than the upper centre section Iii, and that, conversely, the lower end sections I4 are narrower than the upper end sections I I.

In the position shown in Fig. 1, the two platens I2 and I5 are spaced apart with the two centre sections lil and I3 projecting beyond the end sections. A sheet S, which has been previously straightened, is fed into the machine and supported on the lower centre section I3.

In Fig. 2, the two platens I2 and I5 have been moved towards each other to such an extent that the upper centre section It is in engagement with the lower centre section I3, and a centre portion S1 of the sheet has been corrugated.

In Fig. 3, the two platens I2 and I5 have been further moved together, so that the lower centre section I3 is now in engagement with the upper `end sections II, with the result that the corrugated portion of the sheet now extends laterally into two zones, S2.

In Fig. 4, the two platens I2 and I5 have been drawn together as nearly as possible, with the result that the end lower sections I4 contact the sheet at the end zones S3 and effect their cor- Lru'gationsin co-operation with the upper end sections II.

`In Fig. 5, the two platens I2 and I5 are drawn apart and into the positions which they occupied in Fig. 1, the operation has been completed, the sheet S is provided with corrugations across its entire width, and it now rests on the projected lower centre section I3, from where it can be easily removed.

The embodiment of a corrugating machine according to the invention as shown in Fig. 6 hasr a stationary lower platen I6 and a movable upper platen Il. The dies are subdivided into central sections I and I3 and end sections II and I4 respectively. The movable central sections I0 and I3 are mounted on blocks I8 and I9 respecttively which have shoulders 28 and 2l respectively movable in cavities 22 and 23 provided in the platens I9 and I'I. respectively. In this way, the travel of the blocks I8 and I9 in the cavities 22y andr 2'3 is limited in either direction.

The blocks I8 and I9 are supported on rods 2&3 and respectively; as the block I8 is comparatively narrow, one rod 24 is sufficient, whilst in the case of the block I9, which has about twice the width of the Vblock I8, two rods 25 are provided. Rods 24 and 25 are slidable in cylinders 25 and 2'1 into which pressure iiuid is admitted through pipesI 28` and 29 respectively. |Ihe pressure uid may either be a liquid or compressed air. The pressure of the fluid tends to project the blocks I8 and I9 forward, so that the centre sections I and I3 normally project beyond the end Ysections II and I4. When the platens IS and I? are drawn together, however, the shoulders 2) and 2l of the blocks I8 and I9 recede into the cavities 2 2and 23, displacing the pressure iluid at the same time.

Alternatively, the pressure fluid cylinders 26 and 2'! can be replaced by hydraulic recoils as shown in Fig. '7, comprising a closed cylinder 39 lled with a liquid' of suitable viscosity, in which a plunger 3| having narrow ducts 32 is displaceable; a spring 33 is arranged between the plunger and the cover of the cylinder.

Upon the approach stroke of the platen IB, the plunger 3I is displaced upwardly in the cylinder 3o, compressing at the same time the spring 33 and displacing the liquid on top of the plunger, which slowly passes through the ducts 32 into the lower part of the cylinder 39. As the ducts are very narrow, the movement of the plunger is slowed down considerably. As soon as the platens are drawn apart, the plunger 3l is forced back into its initial position through the spring 33.

In the embodiment of Fig. 8, the blocks i3 and I9: are engaged by springs 34, 35 respectively which slow down theinward movement of the blocks I8 and I9 and act, further, as buffers when the two platensV Ixand II are drawn apart. The springs 34 and 35 are held in position by means of discs 39, 3l and adjusting screws 38, 39 respectively, threaded into the platens VI6 and I1.

Fig. 9- shows a general arrangement of the corrugating machine. according to the invention. The machine has two end frames 40- with apertures 4I for feeding a sheet into the space between Vthe sectional dies and for discharging a sheet after the operation has been completed. In practice, the arrangement will be such that straight sheets, are fedV into the machine at` one end. and discharged, after corrugation, through the other. This makes it possible to employ the machine in line with other processing apparatus, for instance, straightening machines or galvanising tanks.

I claim:

1. In a machine for corrugating metal sheets, an upper die and a lower die, both dies being movable towards each other, each die consisting of a number of sections arranged in juxtaposition to each other, each die section having a plurality of corrugations on its surface corresponding in shape. to those to be formed on a sheet, the centre section of one die being substantially smaller and its outer sections being substantially wider than the corresponding sections of the other die, resilient pressure means acting on both dies for projecting said centre sections in advance of said outer sections, and power means for drawing together in one continuous stroke first the centre sections of bothV dies and then the outer sections of both dies.

2. In a machine for corrugating metal sheets, an upper die and a,` lower die, both dies being movable towards each other, each die being subdivided into at least three sections, the lower die consisting of a wide centre section and two narrow outer sections, and the upper die consisting of a narrow centre section and two wide outer sections, each. of the sectionson both dies having a plurality of corrugations on their surface, said corrugations conforming to those to be produced on asheet, separate means on both dies for resiliently holding the centre sections in positions inI which their corrugated surfaces protrude above the corrugated Vsurfaces of the outer sections, and power means adapted to draw first the two centre sections and then the four outer sections together in one continuous stroke, causing thereby rst the narrow centre section and then the wide centre section to recede into positions in which the corrugated surfaces form one continuous line with the` corrugated surfaces of the adjoining outer sections.

3. In, a, machine for corrugating metal sheets having an upper and lower die movable towards each other, each die. comprising a platen and centre block, said centre blocks being slidable relative to said platens in the direction of the die movement, said platens and said` blocks having each a plurality of corrugations on their surfaces conforming to those to be produced on a sheet, the centre block of one die having substantially greater width than the centre block of the other die, means for holding said blocks in a position in which their corrugated surfaces project past the corrugated surfacesl of the platens, and power-operated means for drawing first the blocks and then the platens together in one continuous stroke, whereby the corrugations are formed on a, sheet in groups, beginningY in the centre and progressing stepwise from the centre to. bothV sides of the sheet.

' EUGENE MAYER.

REFERENCES CITED The following` references are of record in the leof this. patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Y Date 1,285,260` Leber Nov. 19, 1918 1,485,917 Harter Mar. 4, 1924 2,397,582 Watt et al. Apr, 2, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 4,234` Great` Britain 1883 4543229 Great Britain Sept. 25, 1936 

